Chadwick Boseman: Forever Our King 1976-2020

By Mia Johnson

Chadwick Boseman will forever be remembered as a sublime acting talent, infusing films like Black Panther, 42, and Get On Up with his trademark blend of charisma, vitality and vulnerability. His path to iconic status started quietly, a late bloomer by Hollywood standards. But Boseman rose to stardom with memorable roles including Jackie Robinson, James Brown, Thurgood Marshall, and of course King T'Challa, despite facing a private battle against colon cancer. This is a profound remembrance of an extraordinary life cut short, celebrating Boseman's brilliance on-screen as well as his rich existence as a generous friend, family member, and activist. Including nearly 100 full-color photographs, this commemorative book traces the actor's early days growing up in South Carolina, his string of impactful and historic movie roles, his commitment to elevating other storytellers as a producer, and the widespread impact of his artistry and unfathomable strength.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Independent Publishers Group
• Release date: Nov 10, 2020
• ISBN: 9781641256285

Book preview

Contents

1. To Be Young, Gifted, and Black

2. A Man of Many Faces

3. The Birth of a Hero

4. Wakanda Forever

5. Making Oscars History

6. A Man of Heart

7. The World Honors a King

1. To Be Young, Gifted, and Black

In the record-breaking 2018 movie Black Panther, Chadwick Boseman’s character T’Challa (the Black Panther) meets his father on the ancestral plane. It’s a realm where the spirits of those lost have their final resting place on the other side. Upon visiting the mysterious world for the first time, T’Challa is greeted by his father—who he’s now in line to succeed on the throne. He tells his father, I am not ready to be without you. It’s a powerful line in the film, but one that few could have guessed would be so relevant in just a few years’ time.

On August 28, 2020, the world learned that Chadwick Boseman had passed away at the age of 43. A man who had lived his life in the public eye kept a quiet battle against colon cancer private, and it left the world feeling like T’Challa: not ready to be without him.

Chadwick Boseman attends the 2018 MTV Movie & TV Awards at Barker Hangar on June 16, 2018, in Santa Monica, California. (Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for MTV)

Boseman’s death had been announced on his social media platforms telling the story that very few people got to hear. His fight with cancer had stemmed back to 2016, where he received a stage III diagnosis. Nonetheless, the actor didn’t let the news stop him from advancing in his career. He continued to act and make public appearances for the films he starred in—leaving his diagnosis unknown to everyone but his family. Even close colleagues had no idea of his condition, most learning about his struggle and his passing at the same time the social media post was shared.

The post also confirmed that Boseman had married his long-time partner, singer Taylor Simone Ledward. The two were first seen dating in 2015, but much of their relationship was kept private until the statement make their marriage public.

The post was shared on both Instagram and Twitter and quickly received a lot of attention. The Instagram post as of this publishing has well over 18 million likes, making it one of the most-liked pictures on Instagram. And on Twitter, the announcement broke records as well. Collecting over 3 million retweets and 7.7 million likes, Twitter announced a day later that it had become the platform’s most-liked tweet to date. Boseman’s name began trending all over social media as fans, celebrities, and notable figures from all over paid their respects to Boseman online. And it’s no wonder that the news of his passing received so much attention.

Chadwick Boseman attends the Get on Up premiere at the Apollo Theater on July 21, 2014, in New York City. (Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

Boseman was not only a star with a brilliant résumé of films behind him, but he was so in demand that even after starring in Black Panther, he had many more projects to come.

He had biopics such as 42, Get on Up, and Marshall under his belt. He played Black Panther not just once in his solo movie, but also appearing in the megahits Captain America: Civil War, Avengers: Infinity War, and the No. 1 movie of all time, Avengers: Endgame.

Following those movies, Boseman starred in 21 Bridges and Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods. And he’s even appeared in a wealth of television shows ranging from having parts in Law & Order and CSI: NY to hosting Saturday Night Live. Those few roles, of course, only scratch the surface of his life as an actor, but it shows just how much of an effect he’s had on pop culture in recent years. Boseman even has a few projects that will now be released posthumously, including a film adaptation of the August Wilson play Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom and a voice role in the animated Marvel series What If…?.

Needless to say, Boseman has solidified himself as a legend. And it all started with his dream of studying film as a young college student. Prior to beginning his studies, Boseman grew up in Anderson, South Carolina, born on November 29, 1976. It was when he attended high school that he made his first breakthrough in the world of entertainment. Back then, Boseman was on the school’s basketball team. He was notably a great player, but his world as a young high school student was rocked when a friend